


Games Children Play

by Plumetta



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-09-22
Packaged: 2018-02-18 08:38:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2342060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haymitch is disgusted by something he sees during the 70th Games but soon realizes that all kids in Panem are touched by the Games.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Games Children Play

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Haymitch was drunk….very drunk. His tributes were dead, he had done his exit interviews but Chaff still had a horse in this race. He was walking back to the 12 apartment to clear his head. He passed the park which had a giant screen TV and the Capitol kids were watching the Games all but a small group of them. They were standing so still, so quiet, they had their backs to the screen. He wondered if they were being punished, Capitol kids hated to miss a minute of the Games. He noticed one little girl stood on a small platform she was wearing a huge hat and kitten heels. She had two bowls and pulled out a name out of each one. Seeing this enraged him, he bought another bottle of liquor and finished it off before he got back to the apartment where Effie was waiting for him.

“Where did you go?

“Out to drink. That’s not new Effie.”

“No, but you usually tell me the name of the bar so I can pick you up. You seem angry.

“I have two more coffins coming home. He snapped. “Am I supposed to celebrate?

Effie frowned. “Of course not but….you seem more angry than usual.

“I walked past the park. I saw some kids playing….reaping.

Effie was confused. “So? Most kids play reaping.

Haymitch knew she was right. He knew from Brutus that kids in District 1 & 2 played it as young as four years old. Even in 11 little kids often played it to feel safe, if there name wasn’t called than a brother or sister wouldn’t be called next year. 12 was the only play that didn’t play reaping. Reaping was too scary, an automatic death sentence. If he was going to be honest some boys in 12 played arena. They would act out at recess something they saw on the Games the night before. He only did that once. He was seven years old and the Tribute from 12 was big…eighteen and he managed to kill one Career before he got speared to death. The boys were excited that someone from 12 managed to kill a Career so they were all acting out at recess. Haymitch was picked to be the Career that killed him and the branch he used for a pretend spear scratched little Tommy’s face. The teacher called his mother to pick him up early from school. She thought it was another fight, ever since his Dad left he was teased a lot. She wasn’t mad until she found out he was playing Arena. She scolded him about the seriousness of the Games. He told her it was okay that Tommy got hurt because it was the Arena. He found himself face down and bottom up. He remembered that spanking vividly because it was the only time he was ever over his mother’s knee. She probably only gave him six or seven swats but he knew he had upset his Mom. His grandfather told him at bedtime that Mom had a cousin who was reaped and he never played Arena again until he had to do it for real.

“Effie, it’s not okay for them to play Reaping. 

“Chaff told me he nephews play Reaping. Are you telling me you never did?

“Not reaping. I did play Arena.

‘There you go.” Effie said. “I never did that but I loved Reaping. I always wanted to be the Escort who….

“The one who selected the Victims. Nice….why do I sleep with a bitch like you?

Effie turned bright red. “I didn’t think of it like that. Why do I sleep with a drunk?

Effie stormed out of the apartment. They didn’t speak for a whole day which was a lifetime for them. When Effie returned they pretended it didn’t happen and they never spoke of it again.

Twelve years later.

Haymitch was returning from the Hob. As he was opening the door he heard his six year old daughter Hailey.

“Mommy, you’re being silly. It’s just a game.

“Hailey, it’s not just a game. It was a very real thing and I don’t ever want you to play it again.

“Mommy, everybody plays Reaping. It’s not like I was playing Arena. 

Haymitch kept out of sight. He didn’t want to get involved with this, he was afraid he’d over-react.

Effie gasped. “Arena? What’s Arena?

“Twelve boys all pick a number and fight. The last one standing is Victor.

“Hailey Euphemia Trinket Abernathy go to the Naughty Corner right now.

“But Mommy, Tales Before Panem is coming on.

“Not until your time out is over and if I have to repeat myself there won’t be any television for two days.

Hailey practically flew to the corner. She stood quietly until the timer went off six long minutes later.

Effie called her over to the table and explained to her that Reapings were once real and very scary. That her Daddy had been reaped and it was not okay to make a game of something that was that serious.

Hailey started to sniffle after Effie explained it. “I didn’t mean to be mean to Daddy. I just thought it was a Game. Is he going to be mad at me?

Haymitch chose that moment to make his presence known. “Why would I be mad at you?

Effie was startled and Hailey was a little scared. “I played Reaping. I didn’t know it was bad. Mommy put me in time out. She said seriously.

“Then it seems Mommy took care of it. Are you going to play reaping again?

Hailey shook her head.

“Then you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Hailey was very quiet the rest of the afternoon. Too quiet, he could tell she felt really guilty.

He patted his lap. “Princess come here.

She cuddled with him. “I’m not mad at you Princess.”

“But Reaping is really bad. I didn’t think about it being part of the Games. I didn’t…

“Shhh, SHhh it’s okay. You know I was about your age when I played Arena.

Hailey’s eyes widened. “Arena? You played Arena?

“I did. Like you I didn’t really know how serious it was. I got in a lot more trouble than you.

“You can’t get in trouble. You’re a Victor.”

“Now, I’m a Victor. Then I was a seven year old who got spanked.

Hailey’s little mouth fell open. Spankings were threats that never came true. “Are you going to give me a spanking?

“No. Arena is much more serious than Reaping and your mother already punished you. Clean slate.

Hailey relaxed and snuggled against him. “I love you Daddy.

“I love you too Princess.

Effie came in and sat on the other side of Hailey. She felt completely loved and forgiven by both her parents.


End file.
